Oregon Attorney General John Kroger released a list of 20 charities today that he says spend too much on telemarketing and administration.

He also announced plans to seek legislation next year to take away tax deductions from charities that spend less than 30 percent of their raised money on their cause. If passed, the legislation would be the first of its kind in the nation, Kroger said.

"This proposal will help kick sham charities out of Oregon," Kroger said. "If the rest of the country follows Oregon's lead, we could end the rampant abuse of non-profit laws."

The Department of Justice requires charities to report how much they spend on their causes and the reports of the more than 16,000 registered charities are available to the public. From that data, the department's Charitable Activities Section created a list 20 groups, including a few of the following, which it says spent more than 75 percent of collected donations on administrative costs and professional fund-raising:

Shiloh International Ministries, which reports that it collects donations to provide medical needs and moral support to needy children and the homeless. The state said that the California-based non-profit's most recent filings show it spent an average of $937,315 per year, or 96.4 percent, on management and fundraising.

Law Enforcement Education Program, which reports it collects donations to help educate teenagers on the effects of alcohol. The state said that Michigan-based non-profit's most recent filings show that it spent 6.26 percent of the $1.9 million average it raised on charitable purposes.

The Korean War Veterans National Museum and Library, which reports it raises money to support veterans. The state said that the Illinois-based group's most recent filings show that it spend spent 97 percent of its annual fund-raising average of $2.3 million on telemarketing and administration.

Ryan Yantis, executive director of the Springfield-based war museum, said he joined the nonprofit in February, a month after a new board was put into place.

"We're working very, very hard at turning things around," Yantis said. "That is a snapshot of the organization in the rearview mirror rather than looking to the future."

It's true that the information is from the past. The most recent financial filing Yantis' group had filed with Oregon's charitable division was from 2008. The nonprofit's filing for 2009 was due in May of this year. The group filed for an extension, which gave Yantis until Nov. 15 to file the records, said Tony Green, a spokesman for attorney general's office.

Yantis, who said the filing has been completed but not yet turned into the state of Oregon, said he's attempting to change the costly direct-mail system his nonprofit has used to request donations.

In addition to the charities database, the state of Oregon's Justice Department offered these tips on charitable giving:

Before donating, check that the organization is registered with Oregon Attorney General's Office by searching the Department's online database or by calling 971-673-1880. A national clearinghouse of similar information is available at Guidestar.

Consumers also should watch out for solicitations that thank you for previous support or send invoices claiming you made a recent pledge when you didn't. The state said those tactics are intentionally confusing and dishonest ways to seek donations.

The department warns against providing donation-seekers with personal information over the phone. Legitimate charities accept checks, which should always be made payable to the organization not the individual collecting the donation.